Svalbard
March 5, 2023| Dan Hillier |FEATURES
Svalbard, Dawn Ray’d, Drug Church, Lake Malice and More New Noizze – The 15 Must-Listen Tracks Of The Week
In need of something new music for the week ahead? Featuring everything from anti-fash black metal to electronic mathy post rock, here's the best singles released week.
Svalbard – Eternal Spirits
One of the UK underground’s leading lights, Svalbard had their breakout moment with latest album When I Die, Will I Get Better? that subsequently saw them sign to Nuclear Blast. Now, the first fruits of that partnership have arrived in the form of new single ‘Eternal Spirits’. Musically harkening back to the more post-hardcore leanings of second album It’s Hard to Have Hope, it’s a blistering storm of riffs and vocal interplay between Serena Cherry and Liam Phelan as well as frenetic drums. Lyrically, the band are as much an open book as ever, this time paying tribute to the legends of the metal world that are no longer with us. Cherry says of the song, “Eternal Spirits is one of the most tragic songs we have ever written, yet it is also a celebration of legacy and musical heritage. It is a song about late metal musicians who sadly passed away too soon and the loss we feel within the metal community without their presence. This song is a heartfelt tribute to our metal heroes who are gone but will never be forgotten, because their legacy lives on in the millions of hearts they have touched with their music. It’s crushing when your heroes die, but with this song we want to commemorate our late heroes glorious music and the legions of bands they have inspired. That inspiration will never die.” – Will Marshall
Lake Malice – Stop the Party
One of the most exciting, boundary-pushing bands in the UK, Lake Malice, have just released their latest slab of glitchy, electronics-laden metal in the form of new single ‘Stop the Party’. Dealing with the social anxiety and depression vocalist Alice Guala has struggled with in the aftermath of the pandemic and lifting of lockdowns, she explains, “When things went back to normal, I felt like there was a veiled expectation for people to catch-up on social events – from birthday parties to gigs and festivals. As a person who suffered with anxiety and depression most of her adult life, it was extremely difficult to switch my social skills back on, and that’s when my depression reached its lowest points (hence wanting to “stop the party”, where the party represents life).” Once more influenced by horror, the video enlisted fans in a The Last of Us-inspired zombie party to bring those themes to – er, life. ‘Stop the Party’ join an eclectic back catalogue of trap metal, nu-metal electronic infusions and more. – Will Marshall
Chroma – Don’t Mind Me
For the South Wales population, Chroma is a household name. For the rest of the country, something truly special awaits. After firmly cementing their namesake as something of a local legend following appearances with the likes of Johnny Foreigner, Dream Nails, Blood Red Shoes, The Joy Formidable and many others, the Pontypridd trio are now gearing for not just national, but global domination with their latest single ‘Don’t Mind Me’. Their first single under the Alcopop! Records banner and dropping just weeks before the band jet off to Texas to perform at the legendary SWSX Festival, ‘Don’t Mind Me’ is a hefty and strutting slice of fuzzed-out alt-rock that harkens thoughts of the swagger of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and The Gossip whilst being deeply personal in nature. Those with an interest in acts such as LibraLibra, False Advertising and Beach Riot will find plenty to adore here. – Dan Hillier
Scowl – Shot Down
Californian hardcore bruisers Scowl rightfully turned heads with their seething first EPs, but it was debut album How Flowers Grow that gave small hints at where they could go next. Recent singles ‘Opening Night’ and new release ‘Shot Down’ take those even further; the latter might open with their abrasive snarl, but its chorus blossoms into alt rock and a cleanly sung melody, vocalist Kat Moss sounding increasingly self-assured; she says of the song, “[Shot Down] is supposed to represent a battle between concealing your fears and vulnerability and desperately opening up about said fears. I’m expressing distaste and fury towards the fearful part of myself, “Hate you right now” is aimed at myself. “I wanna impress, impressive sound” – I’m begging to feel confident in my own work and I feel as though this song stealthily disguises those internal fears in a bubblegum hook, only to be immediately punched in the gut with fast guitars and harsh vocals”. That confidence shows in their broader exploration musically too, evolving from the more straightforward punk of the debut to explore pop rock, alt rock and more. Mark our words, with creative leaps like this, Scowl will be unstoppable soon. – Will Marshall
Dawn Ray’d – Go As Free Companions
The third single taken from anarchist black metallers Dawn Ray’d‘s upcoming album To Know the Light, ‘Go As Free Companions’ is the conclusion not just to the album but its conceptual threads. Weaving folk music, black metal and tales of class struggle, resistance and finding joy and liberation even in the current darkness, it’s a radical departure in many ways from where they’ve been before, but still carries the message of struggle and freedom. To Know the Light explores themes of anarcho-nihilism and how the band struggled with the darkness during lockdowns; ‘Go As Free Companions’ is their radical rebirth. Folky violins open before tumultuous black metal erupts behind them; while this is nothing new for Dawn Ray’d, it still represents a progression on their ideals, musically and philosophically. It sees them finding a new definition of joy and liberation, deciding that if the future is damned and all we have is the now, that they will embrace it and make every moment an act of resistance. – Will Marshall
Drug Church – Myopic
Post-hardcore heavyweights Drug Church return with unexpectedly tender new single ‘Myopic’. The upstate New York natives have never been ones to shy away from all areas of post-hardcore, incorporating synths and alt-rock hooks on their previous work, ‘Myopic’ comes as a welcome surprise with a crunchy picked guitar riff and clean, sombre vocals in the verses. The screamed backing vocals and subtle synth layers remind us why we fell in love with Drug Church with the existential lyrics and catchy guitar riff elevating the track above the countless other post-hardcore bands around right now. Fans of bands like Thrice and Fucked Up will find plenty to love here. – Tom Bruce
Exit Child – Dormant
Exit Child, creation of former Sœur member Anya Pulver released their first track ‘Dormant’ to the world this week. It’s a hugely personal and important statement of falling out of love with who you are, but coming out the other side understanding what makes you as an individual. The grunge-pop style is dark yet warm, almost comforting considering the topic of being struggling with mental health. Anya’s vocals are direct and emotive with line ‘Don’t know if I’ll make it out of my head’ suddenly closing the song leaves a thoughtful echo in the silence and a moment of reflection. Catch their first show in at The Exchange in Bristol in April or on the stellar line-up at 2000 Trees. – Adam Vallely
Gallops – At Data Point
After the release of their 2017 album Bronze Mystic, Gallops fans have been chomping at the bit for more new material from the Welsh experimental, electronic, mathy, noise rockers. Two singles last year have been followed up with new track ‘At Data Point’. A euphoric atmosphere ebbs and flows over six and half minutes of jaunty beats that keep the heartbeat of the song constantly ticking away. Accompanied on Bandcamp with a quote from Joan Lindsay’s book ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’, a story written from a dream that felt so real that readers were unsure if it was fact or fiction. Appropriate for ‘At Data Point’, which at moments feels like you are floating through a wonderful utopia. – Adam Vallely
Allfather – Black Lungs
Allfather seem to have flown under the radar for many and frankly, it’s fucking criminal. Latest single ‘Black Lungs’ is taken off their forthcoming album A Violent Truth and it’s a short, sharp blast of deafening sludgy hardcore. Riffs to flatten skyscrapers? Check. Bellowing vocals? Check. A breakdown that’ll make you want to fight God? Check, check, and check. ‘Black Lungs’ is, according to the band, “about the moment that toxic masculinity and misogyny turns into violence and abuse. We live in a society that tolerates and rewards sexism, where it’s far too difficult for victims to get justice, and far too easy for abusers to escape the consequences of their actions. ‘Black Lungs’ takes the ferocity and violence of metal and hardcore and turns them against the people that deserve it”. Allfather aren’t here to take prisoners, and you should be paying attention. – Will Marshall
Snake Eyes – No One Is Truly Cool
We’ve all been there; you meet a band you love and they turn out to be absolute dickheads. Such is the topic of the latest single from beloved Brighton grit pop trio Snake Eyes. A continuation of the raw and catchy indie-punk presented within their 2021 LP The Lovehate Mixtape, ‘No One Is Truly Cool’ is a lo-fi castigation of those aloof and stoic types within the scene who falsely believe themselves to be a superior to their peers. “I met a bloke in a band I like at a festival after separately having a really lovely chat with one of their bandmates. He was stand-offish and, to be honest, a bit of a prick, giving proper ‘too cool for school’ vibes. The whole exchange left a bad taste in my mouth.”, states vocalist Jim Heffy. “The fake cool guy thing can only go so far. no need for a fake personality. Just be real, be ‘yaself. even Keith Richards puts down the whiskey and cigs sometimes and watches ‘the last of us’ in his pants with a bowl of nik naks like everyone else.” – Dan Hillier
Celestial Sanctuary – Perpetual Annihilation
The self-styled “New Wave of British Death Metal”, Celestial Sanctuary are back with another gore-spattered offering of gleefully old-school death metal. ‘Perpetual Annihilation’ shows their penchant for skull-crushing riffs that’ll batter you silly alongside a bubonic strain of hardcore that infects everything they do with a sense of unbridled, deathly fun. Fresh off an opening slot to Floridian titans Obituary, ‘Perpetual Annihilation’ also features on their upcoming deluxe reissue of their debut album, Soul Diminished (Redux), releasing via underground tastemakers Church Road Records. Celestial Sanctuary have built a reputation as the go-to burgeoning death metal band in the UK based off their no-frills, plenty-of-nonsense approach to death metal that’s firmly rooted in the old but brings it in line with modern day sensibilities with filth-encrusted production and an infectious sense of fun. Expect yet more gore and great things from these splatter merchants. – Will Marshall
Black Orchid Empire – Glory To The King
Black Orchid Empire are back with new music – their first since 2020. The prog metal/rock kings have released two songs from their upcoming album Tempus Veritas, and ‘Glory to the King’ is especially delightful. The progressive side of metal in particular has become more melodic over the last few years, and Black Orchid Empire are the best of the best. After a sweet guitar-chord intro, the melody floats into the ear, and burrows so deeply it would require neurosurgery to remove it – though not that you’d ever want to eradicate this beauty. Interpolating the melody are the drums; sensitive to the vocals’ delicacy, the drums never overpower or distract, even when the song reaches its powerful apex. ‘Glory to the King’ is a masterclass in creating a melodic prog song. – Josiah Aden
Free Throw – This Is Fine
Emo fans rejoice, Free Throw are back with ‘This Is Fine’ which, as you’d expect is a solid helping of bleak relatability. This is the Nashville Emo Punk outfit’s first bit of new music since 2021’s LP ‘Piecing It Together’ and the band dropped the release to mark the start of their headline US tour. ‘This Is Fine’ sheds light on a particularly melancholic and all too common issue depicting someone who withdraws themselves and, despite their best intentions, wallows in their own self pity with faux distraction and gets caught in a monotonous cycle of attempting to make change but instead getting further rooted and ultimately finding no resolution. Musically, the song is wrapped in anthemic exuberance, making the pain of the song’s lyrical theme an instant singalong that will surely see fans screaming the lyrics back at every show. Gang vocals, rough harmonies and a vocal cadence that flows with the surprisingly upbeat musical tone all make for the perfect disposition for fans to scream their misery from the rooftops in unison. – Jac Holloway
Enforced – Hanged By My Hand
Taken from the band’s forthcoming record War Remains – released April 28th via Century Media Records – the latest single from US riff mongers Enforced is three minutes of is hyper violent no-frills thrash optimised for retaking the power back from the ignorant and inept governments that reign with hatred and incompetence. Releasing just weeks after the Norfolk-Southern rain derailment in Ohio and the US government’s failure to contain the situation, the track is simple and piledriving crossover thrash that forgoes needless gimmickry in favour of maximising it’s impact and punch. There’s no needless frills or whistles here, just devastating thrash metal sharpened to a lacerating degree. – Dan Hillier
panicwaves – Twisted (feat. Aaron Steineker)
Hamburg-based quartet panicwaves don’t have small goals. They want to put their own stamp on modern music, twisting it into their own image; their latest single, ‘Twisted’, is proof of just that. Sonically they’re touching on familiar metalcore ground, the kind of churning groove associated with it and techier bands, but it’s paired with the kind of anthemic chorus you might find on daytime radio. Pop hooks abound, but they also do know exactly when to drop the heavy. Featuring Rising Insane‘s Aaron Steineker, they mix in ferocious snarls and a bruising breakdown before the song ends on high with its final chorus playing off those screams and soaring cleans against each other. If you want the shape of modern metal in 2023, panicwaves have got you covered. – Will Marshall
